Stopcock not working

Jeepers_Creepers

goodValue said:

I think it's almost there.

Following the instructions I got the gland nut and spindle loose.

I couldn't clean the inside because of the angle of the spindle, but managed to get some soft black deposit from just inside the rim.

There was hard grey deposit on the gland nut thread, and I got the majority of this off by scraping and with a wire brush.

However, the gland nut is still stiff; it will not tighten by hand, though I can tighten it with a spanner.

Possibly this is because there is some hard deposit on the thread that the gland nut screws into.

I'm going to squirt some penetrating fluid in there last thing tonight, and try again tomorrow.

That's all good stuff.

As said by GDB, the gland nut only has to be loose on the spindle, so the spindle can turn freely, independently of the nut. If the threads are coated so still stiff to turn, that's ok - just use your spanner. If you spray the threads with WD40 and redo and undo the nut, it'll likely free up even more, but it's not really a problem if it doesn't.

So, does the spindle turn quite easily now? Can you now open and closed the SC at will? If so, you've sorted it.

Now just add in a gob of sili-g, also on the threads and the shaft of the spindle, and do up the nut whichever way you need to. Once it's seated on the washer inside there, you'll notice the spindle will become slightly more stiff to turn - the washer will be squished against it. That's when you stop. Keep it monitored for drips, and tweak it up a teeny-part turn if needed. Repeat.

Remember, fully open the SC, and then close it a half-to-one turn.

goodValue

Now just add in a gob of sili-g, also on the threads and the shaft of the spindle, and do up the nut whichever way you need to. Once it's seated on the washer inside there, you'll notice the spindle will become slightly more stiff to turn - the washer will be squished against it. That's when you stop. Keep it monitored for drips, and tweak it up a teeny-part turn if needed. Repeat.

Ok, I'll undo and redo the nut a couple of times to see if that will help.

I don't have any silicon grease, so I'll put some petroleum jelly on the thread.

Many thanks for the great descriptions, and your patience.

Ganga

I would not spend too much energy trying to free off a seized tap when a new one from the likes of B & Q is about £5.50  https://www.diy.com/departments/compression-stop-!!!!!!-dia-15mm/34084_BQ.prd

Ganga

I would not spend too much time trying to repair as a new tap is only £5-50

Jeepers_Creepers

You are right, Ganga, but replacement might not be straight-forward in this case.

Anyhoo, the fun in learning summat

Grizzlebeard

Jeepers_Creepers said:

You are right, Ganga, but replacement might not be straight-forward in this case.

Anyhoo, the fun in learning summat

 Spot on Jeepers. The problem in this case, (from the photo) would not be putting the new stopcock on, but getting the old stopcock off. The pipes are a short rigid run, and the old olives will be stuck firm. Without bending the pipes they will not 'stretch apart' enough to 'unhook' one end of the old tap. A bit of pipe (or the Tee to the utilities) would need to be cut out, and a replacement section fitted with a new union.

10 minutes for a plumber, but 10 times more work for DIY.

Ganga

Grizzlebeard said:

Jeepers_Creepers said:

You are right, Ganga, but replacement might not be straight-forward in this case.

Anyhoo, the fun in learning summat

 Spot on Jeepers. The problem in this case, (from the photo) would not be putting the new stopcock on, but getting the old stopcock off. The pipes are a short rigid run, and the old olives will be stuck firm. Without bending the pipes they will not 'stretch apart' enough to 'unhook' one end of the old tap. A bit of pipe (or the Tee to the utilities) would need to be cut out, and a replacement section fitted with a new union.

10 minutes for a plumber, but 10 times more work for DIY.

Looking at the original pictures i am sure those pipes will pull apart far enough for one end of the S/C to come off and then it can be changed ,if the owner feels he is not up to it he can pay a plumber to change it ,might cost a few bob BUT if they ever get a burst pipe the fact they can turn off the water PDQ will make the plumbers fee disappear.

Jeepers_Creepers

Ganga said:

Looking at the original pictures i am sure those pipes will pull apart far enough for one end of the S/C to come off and then it can be changed ,if the owner feels he is not up to it he can pay a plumber to change it ,might cost a few bob BUT if they ever get a burst pipe the fact they can turn off the water PDQ will make the plumbers fee disappear.

Both pipes disappear into the back panel, so it's impossible to know from here just how rigid they are.

Anyhoo, I think the OP has fixed it

GDB2222

This thread is quite frustrating. I've spent ages reading it, in fact a pretty large multiple of the time it would have taken to fix the problem.

Jeepers_Creepers

GDB2222 said:

This thread is quite frustrating. I've spent ages reading it, in fact a pretty large multiple of the time it would have taken to fix the problem.

Lol - that's true.

BUT, we have held a 100% newbie DIYer's hand and guided them through summat truly awesome.

Possibly.